


The Getaway Drive To The Airport - Aaron and Robert (13th April 2017) (canon compliant)

by BoleynC



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M, a bit angsty but also hopefully full of love???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 19:46:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10646802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoleynC/pseuds/BoleynC
Summary: My idea of what happened in the car journey to the airport. Canon compliant.





	The Getaway Drive To The Airport - Aaron and Robert (13th April 2017) (canon compliant)

**Author's Note:**

> I hate this SL so much but I feel all I can do is contribute to fandom by writing some in-between scene stuff which rationalises the decisions the characters make. Hopefully it also shows how much love I believe Robert genuinely does have for Aaron (even if the episodes are doing an awful job of showing that right now). 
> 
> Please leave me a comment if you like this! If people like these little fics I write then I'll do more of them when there are new episodes.

“All right, Schumacher,” Aaron comments wryly, as Robert puts his foot down and they speed out of the village. “Calm down. We’re not even late.”

“Yeah, well I’ve paid enough for the plane tickets and we’re not missing it.” 

“Who’s the boy racer now?” 

Robert looks in his wing mirror with a frown before he answers. He’s clearly got something on his mind. 

“There’s bound to be traffic,” Robert says, although he does slow down slightly now they’re away from the village. He still keeps looking it that wing mirror, though. If Aaron didn’t know better he’d think Robert was worried he was being followed. 

Sensing Robert’s a bit distracted, he decides to turn on the radio. He selflessly passes by a dance track (which he knows Robert would hate) and instead lets Ed Sheeran’s _Shape of You_ play. Aaron taps out the beat on his knees and settles back in his seat. 

Robert can’t stand the song. He used to like it, but that was until it played on the day he came to collect Aaron from prison. It has anxiety attached to it now, impatience, a vague sense of dread, of guilt. Still, Aaron’s clearly enjoying it so he bites his tongue and resists the urge to change channel.

When the song finishes, Aaron glances at Robert once more, sighs, and then turns the radio off. Aaron’s no idiot. He can see that his husband’s on edge. He’s been slightly off all day, but now it’s more noticeable than ever. 

“Robert… are you sure you’re all right?” he ventures. 

Robert’s answer is almost too quick. 

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“I dunno, you’re acting sort of jumpy.” 

Robert sighs and seems to make a measured effort to seem more calm and collected.

“I’m just stressed, that’s all,” Robert answers. “I’ll be fine when all this is sorted. Once we’re on that plane everything’ll be okay.” 

Aaron frowns. He hadn’t realised Robert was so stressed out about the trip. It was his idea, wasn’t it? He can’t understand why Robert would suggest it on such short notice and then act like the whole thing’s doing his head in. 

The only logical answer Aaron can think of is that it’s not the trip that’s stressing his husband out at all. 

It’s something he can’t say. Something that would hurt him. 

“You’re not… it’s not cause I went for you the other day is it?” Aaron asks tentatively. 

This time Robert reacts with instant vehemence. 

“What? No. No it’s not that. Don’t be stupid.” 

“Because I’m so _so_ sorry. I know that doesn’t make it better but…” 

Robert appears deeply pained and takes a moment before responding. When he does, it’s in his gentle, reassuring voice. The one reserved only for Aaron.

“Aaron. I promise you it’s not that. It’s not you.”

Aaron chews his lower lip doubtfully.

“Look, Robert, I’m not an idiot,” Aaron perseveres, fiddling with his wedding ring. “You’ve been acting dead weird all day. You don’t have to spare my feelings or whatever-“ 

Robert can’t have Aaron blaming himself for this. It’s the last thing he wants. 

“It’s just that things are getting on top of me,” Robert says. “There was the appeal stuff, and Mill, and now this with Liv and Sandra-“ 

“And me,” Aaron interrupts. “You can say it, you know. I’m stressing you out.” 

Robert can’t exactly deny it. Aaron is stressing him out. He’s more worried about him than he can explain. Ever since prison he’s been keeping a close eye on his husband, watching the bad habits creeping back in, the nervous mannerisms. He’s been out running again (although he’s promised he’s not going to overdo it). He’s still flinching whenever someone so much as brushes past him unexpectedly. He’s not yet fully at ease being affectionate with him in public. 

The truth is that it seems like Aaron’s on the brink of spiralling. These are the weeks that will make or break him. If Robert can just pull him through, he knows Aaron will be okay. But if he drops the ball now, if he messes this up with his own hideous mistake, then he doesn’t know what will happen. The thought of Aaron doing something stupid because of him terrifies Robert. 

It’s partly why he’s whisking Aaron away from the village. At least Chas and Liv are in Mauritius. At least there Aaron can relax without constantly worrying about his little sister. 

And at least in Mauritius nobody’s going to tell Aaron what he, Robert, did. 

“Perils of being a husband,” Robert replies. 

Aaron can’t help but smile at that. Hearing Robert refer to him as his husband still makes Aaron’s chest leap. 

“Yeah, well, the counsellor said it’d take a bit of time.”

“I don’t care how long it takes,” Robert says sincerely. “As soon as we’re home, we’re going to book you in for more sessions.” 

“But the cost though…” 

“I don’t care how much it costs. If it’ll get you back on your feet, that’s all that matters.”

“You’re gonna run out of cash soon, the rate you’re splashing it,” Aaron points out. 

For a moment Robert freezes, thinking Aaron’s referencing the two and a half grand he’s already given Ross to buy his silence for a while longer. 

“It’s only money,” Robert says swiftly, trying to change the subject, but the moment he does he knows he’s slipped up. Aaron furrows his brows at that un-Robert-like statement. 

“And all this counselling gets you out of the house for a while, doesn’t it?” Robert adds teasingly, just about saving himself. 

Aaron stops looking suspicious, but he still doesn’t laugh. There’s clearly something on his mind. 

“When we see Mum and Liv…” Aaron starts, awkwardly. 

“Yeah?” 

“D’ya think we should tell them? About what I did to ya?” 

Robert frowns. He’s not even thought about that. He’s been so consumed with guilt over what happened with Rebecca, and with fear about it coming out, that Aaron’s punch hasn’t been on his mind at all. If anything, it feels like a fair punishment for what he did, and probably not anywhere near as bad as he deserves either. 

“I don’t mind if we do,” Aaron continues, still making that same conflicted face, the one that makes Robert want to wrap his arms around him. “I just… I wanna know what’s gonna happen before we get there.” 

“It’s up to you,” Robert says evenly. 

Aaron swallows and starts absent-mindedly picking at his seat. Usually Robert would snap at him for that, but not now, not today. 

“Back when… back with Gordon,” Aaron says, and at the mention of that name Robert immediately listens intently. “He used to knock Sandra around. Not all the time, but enough.”

“This isn’t like that,” Robert says quickly. 

“How can you know? What if this is the start?” 

“It’s not.” 

“I can’t take hurting you,” Aaron says sincerely. 

And I can’t take hurting you, Robert thinks. But I still am. I still _did._

There’s a hold-up at some traffic lights and Robert’s relieved by the moment of calm. If they weren’t in such a rush to get to the airport he’d have pulled over by now so he could reassure Aaron properly. 

“It was one moment,” Robert tells his fidgety husband. “One mistake. You weren’t in your right mind.”

“I still did it though.” 

“Look at how you’re beating yourself up over it, eh? You think Gordon ever did that?”

“He bought Sandra flowers,” Aaron admits. “He tried to make it up. He took her on a weekend away to Blackpool once like some holiday would make it better.”

Robert wants to scream at that information. He feels icy cold all over.

“You did it once,” Robert says with forced calm. “One time. And you didn’t even know it was me. It was a mistake. After what went on on the inside I’m not surprised it got to yer. It’d do that to anyone.”

“You think?” 

“You know what I think. I think you’ve been amazing. Dealing with what you did. Coming out the other side.”

Aaron nods his head. He doesn’t believe Robert at all, but it helps to know that his husband’s proud of him. 

“You’re nothing like Gordon,” Robert adds, just in case Aaron’s feeling insecure about it. “Anyone can see you’re all Dingle.” 

Aaron raises an uncertain eyebrow, not sure if that’s meant as a compliment or not.

“I mean to start with you’re gobby. You’ve got really bad taste…” Robert elaborates teasingly.

“Bad taste in men, maybe,” Aaron fires back, a smile creeping back onto his face at last.

They both laugh. It feels like a relief to do that. Robert can feel his troubles lifting from his shoulders. Already he’s starting to feel safe. He’s with Aaron, alone. Nothing can touch them. Nobody can hurt Aaron with the truth. Nobody can threaten Aaron’s happiness with his own unforgivable mistake. 

As the lights change to amber, Robert reaches over and places his hand on Aaron’s knee for a brief moment. Aaron smiles at him softly, and then the lights turn green so they drive on.

“Never been to Mauritius,” Aaron says, sounding far more cheerful now. To Robert’s relief he’s also stopped messing about with the expensive interior of his Porsche. 

“Apparently it’s great. Or at least it had better be for the money we’re paying.”

“Not such a bad honeymoon destination,” Aaron grins. 

“No,” Robert agrees, not allowing his own guilt to creep back in and ruin things. After all, what sort of a person takes their husband on honeymoon to save their own worthless skin? A terrible person.  A person he doesn’t want to be. A person he wishes he could leave behind forever.

“Brought my shades,” Aaron tells him excitedly. “We can take some new pics as well. Vic and Adam have a load from their honeymoon up at their place. We could put ours up at Mill. We’ve defo got a few spare frames hanging about.”

Robert nods. The idea of having pictures of him and his husband up in their new home is a wonderful one, but he can’t help but wonder if by the time they get home, Aaron will have changed his mind about wanting that.

“I mean, we’ve got years ahead of us,” Robert says, inwardly promising he’ll make it up to Aaron one day, with a proper honeymoon which isn’t some quick getaway planned in fear. “We’ll have hundreds of holidays. Anywhere you want to go. The world’s our oyster.” 

“Always fancied Disneyland…” Aaron remarks casually.

Robert’s eyes widen with horror at the idea of all those kids running around, the sweaty tourists, the tacky souvenirs, and the endless queues. Beside him, Aaron bursts out laughing. 

“Your face! Nah, anywhere’ll do me. So long as my hubby’s there.” 

“Pfft.” 

“I am totally dragging you to Ibiza one day, though,” Aaron says. 

“In your dreams.” 

“Um, ‘anywhere you want to go’ you said.”

“Right, fine. But I’ll be relaxing by the pool while you head off to those tacky clubs of yours.” 

“Deal,” Aaron says brightly, making a fist-pump gesture and then drumming on the dashboard. 

At last they approach the airport. The odd plane flies low overhead and Aaron watches them with fascination, almost like a kid. It’s clear he’s not had many expensive holidays in his lifetime and this is still something of a novelty.

“How long’s it take again?” Aaron asks. “The flight, I mean.”

“About twelve hours. It’s a long one.” 

“We can just watch a few films or summat.” 

“You should get your head down. It’ll do yer good,” Robert comments, thinking of how Aaron’s still not sleeping quite as well as he used to before his most recent stint at HMP Hotten.

“Get you, all caring and that,” Aaron declares, giving Robert a gentle nudge.

"Shut up.” 

“Nah, it’s sort of, _almost_ sweet.” 

“I’m warning yer-“ 

Aaron laughs and Robert does too. He can’t help it. Even now Aaron can cheer him right up just by being around.

“We should’ve come in my car,” Aaron says as they drive into the busy car park and look for an appropriate space. (Robert refuses most of the free ones because he’s worried someone’ll scratch his precious car.) “You sure it’ll be all right leaving your motor here?” 

There’s a reason Robert’s chosen to leave his beloved Porsche parked in a public place rather than back at home where there’s no CCTV, and that reason is Ross Barton. But of course he can’t tell Aaron that.

“It’s insured.” 

“Fair enough,” Aaron says easily. He’s eager to get going, looking properly happy at the prospect of getting away.

When Robert’s parked the Porsche to his satisfaction, he and Aaron climb out. 

“I’ll go get us a trolley then, yeah?” Aaron offers.

“What? You’re not gonna go all macho on me and try and carry them all in yourself?” 

Aaron flips Robert the bird, although he’s grinning as he heads off to fetch a trolley for their luggage. 

Robert stands by the car and watches him go. Aaron’s got a bit of a skip to his step and he cranes his neck to stare up at the blue sky as a plane goes over. Robert can’t see his husband’s face, but he knows he’ll be squinting up with awe, maybe smiling the tiniest bit. 

Robert wishes he could keep Aaron like this always. Relaxed, optimistic, smiling. For once seeming like the twenty-five year old he is without a lifetime of troubles stacked on his shoulders. But Robert can’t run forever, and he knows he can’t shield Aaron forever either. The consequences are going to come back to bite him sooner or later and Robert isn’t sure he’ll ever be ready.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave me a comment if you enjoyed!
> 
> I am @ClaudiaBoleyn on twitter and my Tumblr is claudiaboleyn.tumblr.com
> 
> xxx


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